Konaha High
by Abird51
Summary: Naruto is the new kid in the prestigious Konaha High. Follow Naruto's year long journey as he finds friends, enemies. love and even himself. This is a humorous look into some dark material. Set in modern time so all characters are updated with a few personal touches. Remeber: never judge a book by it's cover. sasuxnaru


Prologue 

The city of Konaha is a large one; it has one side shored by an ocean beach and a large park running through the middle of it. Around the park are shops, restaurants and small tea houses that sit in neat little rows and serve as beautiful attraction for tourists and well to do families alike. The grass on the laws of the beautiful and large houses is green and healthy flowers and trees surround this part of town. These upper class home owners enjoy their lovely ocean views, expensive clothes and the company of other haughty upper class home owners. This is the upper side of Konaha.

On the south side of the park, hidden behind the thick trees and quaint tea houses and shops, is the south end of Konaha, also known as "the lowers". The color of this side is grey and every shade of it. The small, sickly plants give now glow to this urban end of town. Filled with crowded apartment complexes, dive bars, garbage and lost souls. Those who are down on their luck end up in the lowers. Maybe it was a business man who lost his family to his gambling problem or a divorced mother of three just trying to get by. They are shunned from the glamour of the upper end and so a bitterness has grown. The upper end sees the people in lowers as a piece of trash lowering their property value while the men and women of the lowers see the wealth as selfish, cold hearted snakes. Both sides have their prejudices and neither are willing to budge.

Just across the street from the park is Konaha High. A large high school that only takes the gifted and wealthy. Not as selective as some of the upper class would like but selective enough that the large city must have two back up high schools for those who are not asked in. Students from the upper side, if they do not want to go to a specific trade school, are normal allowed in without much thought because of their parents power, money and the students usually high grades or sports ability. Students from the south side tend to have more trouble. The south side is twice as large, population wise, as the upper side so the elementary schools and middle schools have more students to take care of therefore many students are lost in the crowed. However, if a student has exceptional talents in academics, music or sport, they are asked to come to Konaha High. This does cause a lot of tension between the two opposing classes in the school: those who worked really hard to get where they are and those who did not. But this is the situation on the most basic level.

Our story begins in Konaha High, first day of classes:

Chapter One: Moving In

"It's definitely not the worst place we've ever lived…" Jiraiya said, shifting the box in his hands.

He and his godson stared up at the rundown apartment building they were moving into. The cars blared horns as they drove by the two men and their large trailer (which was taking up half the road). As they continued looking a piece of the rusty gutter pipe whaled as if feel from its bolts to the sidewalk in front of the stoop.

"Definitely not the best…" Naruto said as he turned his head to his Godfather, "How cheap is this place anyhow?" he asked eyeing the pipe.

"Cheap enough that I can afford some good food for a while…" Jiraiya trails off as he watches a half dressed girl strut out of the door of the building and walk down the street.

"Pervy old man." Naruto muttered as he ventured forward into the building. He took the old brass knob in his hand and pushed hard. The door creaked open slowly.

"Hey! Take some boxes in with you too! Not running a moving service here you know?" Jiraiya said as he tried to balances as many boxes as he could in his arms.

"Just going to check if there's a dead body or a meth lab up there before we try to move in." Naruto looked over to the struggling old man.

"Funny joke." Jiraiya said distractedly

_Wasn't meant to be. _Naruto sighed as he headed up the squeaky stairs to his apartment. He fished the brass key out of his pocket, unlocked the door and burst in. he expected to scare all the bugs away with his surprise entrance but the roaches just sat and stared, unimpressed.

"Oh sick! I should have guessed these things would be in this place…" Naruto looked around for a weapon but could only find an old box in the corner. A carefully walked around the unflinching boxes and made his way to the box. He tried to pick it up but failed.

"What is in this thing, bricks?" He peered into the old cardboard box "Well, I'll be damned, it was bricks!" He braced himself to pick up the heavy box and teetered over to the roaches. "Huph huuphh well, since there is only a few ways to kill roaches and I'm all out of roach-aside, guess being crushed by a box of bricks will have to do!" Naruto mused as he slowly lowered it over the bugs. "Not gunna even run?" Naruto huffed, "Better for me!" He dropped the box squarely on the roaches, crossing them flat. "You guys should be dead in a few years now haha" Naruto laughed lightly.

He suddenly felt a chill run down his spin. "We haunted too?" He called out. No answer. Naruto looked around the room he was in. It was small, no furniture and had matching dingy beige colored floors and walls. The kitchen to the left look just as bleak. The appliances were old and buzzing but seemed to be working properly. No windows. He walked through the kitchen into the two back bed rooms. They were separated by a small bathroom. Both had no furniture but one had a window covered by dusty red curtains. Curiosity struck Naruto as a padded over to the dull light.

He pulled back the curtain and smiled. The sun was setting and covered the city in washes of orange and purple. Long strands of red and pink bled in the sky. The clouds loomed blue gray over the sun, bidding it goodnight. The view of the city was amazing. He could see the park and even a glimpse of the ocean. The rest was blocked by large houses that hoarded the beauty to its eyes alone. Naruto didn't realize he was there more than a few seconds before he heard a familiar voice.

"This one is yours" He said, smiling warmly and tossing the blonde boy's locks, "I still want you to be able to find beauty in the world." Jiraiya looked into Naruto's eyes, trying to pass comfort through them.

"Thanks old man, I really appreciate it." Naruto tried to muster up the same smile but to no avail. His eyes were empty as the buzz in his head had begun to grow louder. Moving around always takes a toll on him. Jiraiya saw the hollowness in his eyes and frowned.

"Look, I know it must be hard, without your mot…" Jiraiya started but was cut off by Naruto shaking out of his grip on his hair. Naruto turned and sighed.

"The suns going down y'kno, we got start getting all those boxes in before dark so we don't get mugged or something y'kno.." Naruto turned to look over his shoulder at his godfather "There's no time for talking, y'kno. Besides the faster we get this done, the faster we can eat and I'm STARVIN'" Naruto tucked his hands behind his head and sauntered out of the apartment.

Jiraiya sighed and let go of the curtain, letting it drop over the setting sun.

All the boxes were set in piles in the rooms they would be unpacked in later. For now, the table was set in the family room behind the small coach. The tiny T.V. sat in front of the coach against the wall, perched on an old table covered in books. The fridge was stocked with sodas and milked and the cabinet full of instant meals and noodles. An empty book shelf sat in the door way as Naruto tried ot figure out a way to make it fit into the apartment.

"I think we need to dismantle it…" Naruto frowned as he called over into the kitchen.

"Why? Just turn it on its side" The old man called back.

"It's a square, y'kno!" Naruto called back angrily.

"Just come eat, well deal with it later…" Jiraiya said, setting down two bowls of instant noodles on the table. "Want milk?" He asked

Naruto rubbed his face as he sighed, "Yeah…" He hung his hands on his neck. "It won't work…shhh shhh" Naruto started mumbling.

"Come eat kid." Naruto started for the table, "Look Naruto! Bowls and glasses! We're moving up in the world!" Jiraiya mused.

"Yeah, were regular aristrocrates…" Naruto slouched in his chair, rubbing his head.

"You ok?" Jiraiya eyed him closely.

"mmhmm" Naruto sipped his milk.

They eat in silence for the most part. Jariya tried to talk a few times but was cut off by Naruto's lack of interested. His mind was elsewhere. Jariya went to the last resort as they finished up their meal.

"So," he started as he put down his chop sticks, "You ready for your first day at Konaha High? It's a real elite school by the way…" Jariya folded his hands and continued, "it's were the smartest kids in the area go if their lucky. You'll do well there I'm sure."

"If it's for the elite, how the hell did I get in?" Naruto finally looked up from his food.

Jariya smiled coolly, "The principle and I go waaaay back. So I pulled a few strings and got you in!"

"What makes you think I would want to go there?" Naruto asked, his voice rising slightly.

"Because, Naruto." Jiraiya laid his hands on the table and made his voice stern, "this school will give you a chance at a good future. You haven't had much of a chance at happiness and I just wanted to..."

"And you think I can be happy surrounded by a bunch of judgmental, self-absorbed rich kids who have no understanding of life outside their assholes?" Naruto stood up. He was shaking now, the buzzing in his head had swelled into a roar, he couldn't think. He spat anger in every word. "Who are you to decide what will make me happy? How can you possible think you can understand me and simplify my wants to something as ludicrous as a future of happiness? I was not genetically built for happiness! You should know that by now!"

Jiraiya stared up at him, folding his arms. He knew there was no way to reason with Naruto when he was like this. It was all the change, it brought back too many dark memories for him to be able to control his words.

"I just want you to have a chance." Jiraiya said matter of factually. Naruto looked down at him, eyes blazed.

"Unlike my mother, right?" Naruto said through gritted teeth. He felt the tears brimming his eyes and he stalked off to his room, slamming the door. Jiraiya winced at the noise. He knew Naruto was grateful, he had said so himself just a few days ago. He would never hold these outbursts against the blonde. Naruto never meant to hurt anyone and the guilt would only depress him more if Jiraiya tried to reprimand him. Jiraiya wouldn't even have to say anything. Naruto was a good kid, just a little unwell from time to time. Jariya cleared and washed the old wooden table before trying to drag the bookcase in himself.

Naruto laid on his bed, head whispering anger and depressed thoughts. His guilt was interwoven in his inner monologue. He didn't mean to snap at his godfather. Jiraiya was nothing but good to him, taking him in after…

"Damn it…" Naruto clenched his pillow. It's always the same train of thought after something like this. Is he losing it? What will he do next time? What if he had lost control and blacked out? Naruto dreaded the 'what if's because there were just so many. He knew he needed to stay calm and controlled if he was going to succeed this school year. Was he really thinking about attending that school? Yes, Jariya had put his neck out for him, again, so he had to at least try. Angry voices reminded him of other school house battles and dark voices whispered his inescapable approaching failures.

"Shut up!" Naruto hissed. He sat straight up in the bed and looked out the window. The early morning sun was just starting to glow yellow on the sky. The people around him just starting their day or, more likely, ending it. Naruto sighed.

_Up all night again…at least I'll have my signature bags going for my first day…_

Naruto pushed himself out of his bed and started going through one of his boxes. He pulled out an orange t-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. He slipped on his clothes and padded to the bathroom. He splashed his face with water and brushed his teeth. He didn't want to look in the mirror too long or he'd turn around and go right back to bed. He had to go. To at least prove to himself that he could.

He stepped into the dark living room and eyed the empty bookshelf on the farthest wall. He walked over and picked up the light backpack. He peered inside and saw two notebooks, folders and some pens. He smiled as he caught the glimpse of a boxed lunch. He picked up the note on top of the old bookshelf.

_Have a great first day!_

_ -Jiraiya _

Naruto chuckled and tossed the note into his bag. He took a deep breath and walked over to the door, slid on his shoes and let out a long exhale.

"Well, here we go again!" Naruto squeaked open the apartment door and headed to Konaha High School.


End file.
